Concrete Foundation Leak Repairs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   How to fix leaky rod holes in foundation?
   I have leaky rod holes in the basement (poured concrete foundation). The builders have not plugged some of the holes and now they are leaking whenever we have lots of rain or water on that side of the house (I live in a townhouse; between the houses, I managed to drain the gutters away from the foundation, but sometimes, when it is windy, the wind pushes the rain towards the house and then it starts leaking). I looked at some solutions like injection, but it quite expensive. A friend of mine fixed the same problem with some silicone in the holes.

   Any other solutions out there?

   • ANSWER:
     The good news is that you know exactly where the problem is. These problem areas were created when the foundation was built. After the forms were set up, metal rods called form ties or snap ties were slipped through small holes in each side and connected to temporary braces on the outside of the forms. After the concrete sets up, the forms are stripped off the walls and the ends of the ties are snapped off just below the surface of the concrete. This leaves a small pock mark in the foundation wall at every tie location, which should be filled with hydraulic cement to protect the ties still in the concrete. If water gets to the ties they’ll rust, and if they rust long enough they’ll let water leak into the basement.
     The repair? This Old House contractorTom Silva says to use a cold chisel and chisel around each tie location to create a hole anout 1/2 in. deep and a couple inches in diameter. Then clean out as much of the deteriorated form tie as possible and fill the area with hydraulic cement. Work quickly–hydraulic cement sets up in a hurry!

     Here’s more on hydraulic cement, as well as other ways to keep water from getting into your basement:

     http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20057861,00.html?xid=yahoo-answers&partner=yes

2. QUESTION:
   How do I find drain line leaks in my house?
   I have moisture showing up on the foundation. The leak is in the drain line under the concrete slab. How can I find and repair it? I have the option of tearing out a shower but am not sure that will get me any closer to the problem.

   • ANSWER:
     You should be able to get a roto-rooter man in to run a scope down the drain line to find the hole, break etc. Then they can pin point the area you have to dig up.

3. QUESTION:
   Who do you call to fix a leaky pipe in the wall?
   I have a pipe in an exterior wall of the house that is leaking every time I run the clothes washer. I believe it must be the drain. I know it is leaking because water runs out under the siding and down the foundation. The house has T-111 siding and a concrete slab foundation. I don’t know if it would be better to cut through the drywall on the inside of the wall or the siding on the outside of the wall to access the pipe, and I’m not sure if I want a plumber, contractor, or someone else entirely to do it.

   • ANSWER:
     Call a plumber. There should be a clean-out access already installed that looks like a pipe plug behind the washer. If not, he will probably cut through the drywall and install one since that is easier to repair than an external access. Sounds like the drain to me also, but it may just be a sock or something plugging the standpipe that can be fished out with a tape.

4. QUESTION:
   I have a vent pipe leaking on to carpet & flooring behind wall at concrete foundation. Rain?
   This only happens when it rains heavily. I have had all of the vent pipe collars replaced and tarred. Still having the same problem. Is it possible that rain water is getting inside the pipe and there is a leak or bad fitting in the wall that is causing leakage on to the foundation? I am having no sewage oder or other leaking problems & this only happens when it rains. How can I find out if that is the problem and if so, how can that be repaired?

   • ANSWER:
     Make sure your roof isnt leaking at the base of the pipe. Also if you have a gutter near the foundation leak make sure it isnt being overwhelmed. Try to have water diverted away from the area where your problem is. Most leaks are best repaired by an expert in the trade.

5. QUESTION:
   Can I use cinder block as skirting on my manufactures home?
   I want to replace the plastic skirt on my manufactured home with cinder blocks one because it is stronger and two because it will last longer. My question is can I set the cinder blocks without concrete foundation since it will only be about 3 feet tall. Should I use a rock bed maybe? And if I do need to lay a foundation how thick should it need to be? A future plan to raise the ground level is also on the scope will this be a problem?
   Thanks for helping.
   H

   • ANSWER:
     Yes, you can, but there are other alternatives to eliminating the plastic skirt.

     If all you need is a skirting, and not perimeter support, you can build a wood frame and attach cement board (facing it with brick or stone veneer, for example) to give it a nice look. I know you can also get panels that look like a poured cement wall, but they’re sheet-stock, like the cement board. Hardiboard is another choice as is NovaBrik.

     I would go ahead and pour a footer, just to have the option of stacking something heavy on it later, even if I chose not to do it right away. It will make it easier to install whatever you choose right now (by providing a level surface to work from).
     Depending on where you live, you may want to pour to below the frost line, and go ahead and add the re-bar. I would pour it so that it is at least ground level, especially since you mention raising the grade later, you may want to go ahead and pour it so that it will be closer to the desired grade level.
     Most manufacturers require perimeter support at any entry door, or opening over 4 ft (sliding doors for example) – most dealerships, in my experience, don’t bother to install them, because it would mean pouring more concrete. If a manufacturer wants to get picky, they can void the warranty for an improper set up. Therefore, while I was at pouring a footer, I would go ahead and install the support stacks near the entry doors, as required by the manufacturer. If you have the owner’s manual to your home, it should tell you how the manufacturer requires your model of home to be set up.

     I’ve seen a lot of alternatives over the years to vinyl perimeter skirting, including the plastic stone, stone/brick veneer, dry stacked blocks (low to the ground, only a couple of rows), dry stacked with stucco, cement board, Hardiboard, wood… all kinds of things. Think about what you want to do now, and what you want to do later. Its better to plan ahead, and prepare now, for what you want later, than to have to come back later, and rip everything out because you have to start over.

     Don’t forget to leave easy access to the underside of the home, hehehe. You don’t want to have to crawl from one end of the home to the other, to repair a leak. Also, don’t forget about cross ventilation – another requirement of the manufacturer, you NEED the ventilation under the home to keep the moisture level down. By the way – this is an excellent time to install a vapor barrier, if you don’t already have one.

     Have Fun

6. QUESTION:
   I have a vent pipe leaking on to carpet & flooring behind wall at concrete foundation. Rain?
   This only happens when it rains heavily. I have had all of the vent pipe collars replaced and tarred. Still having the same problem. It is possible that rain water is getting inside the pipe and there is a leak or bad fitting in the wall that is causing leakage on to the foundation? I am having no sewage oder or other leaking problems & this only happens when it rains. How can I find out if that is the problem and if so, how can that be repaired?

   • ANSWER:
     If you have pipe under the floor, which i am guessing that you do in order for this to be a vent pipe, it could be cause by water sepping through a hole in your concrete floor. As the water table raises durning heavly rains, it is coming up along your vent or drain pipe. My suggestion is to apply concrete around your drain line, really pack it in there. this should stop the leak.’Good luck

7. QUESTION:
   What Are The Best Concrete Crack Repair Kits To Repair Basement Wall Cracks?
   We have an 8 ft crack in our basement foundation wall. The crack is approximately 1/16 of an inch and water is coming in through the crack.

   What is the best concrete crack repair kit that will stop water that is currently coming in and to completely seal out water in the future.

   • ANSWER:
     I would definitely recommend FoundationArmor.com . They have the best concrete crack repair kits that activate with water to stop leaks and to seal out water. We used their kit and it worked great! Very easy and if you need help their customer service is excellent.

8. QUESTION:
   How do I fix a broken water pipe that is in my slab foundation?
   I have a hot water line that has develeoped a leak but the pipe runs into my kitchen in the slab floor. I do not have a basement that would allow me to run a new pipe. Any suggestions???

   • ANSWER:
     Either cut the concrete and repair the broken pipe or reroute the pipe and tie it back in somewhere that is accesible – bypass the leak. Slabs can be a real problem. If you know the exact area where the leak is, half your job is already done.

9. QUESTION:
   What is the best way to find a leak in your basement and repair it?
   When it rains really hard in the spring my basement floods… I know where on the house the water is coming in, generally, but what is the best method to fix a hole in the foundation of the house.

   • ANSWER:
     Hello, the best repair for a hole in the foundation, if you can get to it, is to mix up some concrete and re-pack the hole.Clean the hole of all loose debris and dirt, make sure that one side is closed off,cut a piece of plywood six inches wider and six inches taller than the size of the hole.This will close the other side of the hole.Position the plywood over the hole and mark a two inch by two inch notch in the top-center, then cut that out,this will allow us to fill our hole with concrete.Begin by mixing concrete to a fairly stiff consistency and packing it firmly into the hole.When concrete no longer stays in the hole brace or attach the cut piece of plywood to the wall with the notch just below the top of the hole.Continue packing concrete until the hole is full,finish the 2×2 spot of concrete with a trowel,wait a day for the concrete to set and remove the plywood. At that point you can mix a small amount of mortar an finish off the face of the patch smoothly.Hope this helps:-)

10. QUESTION:
    What is the future of foundation that has been “repaired”?
    I am looking to buy a home that has had foundation repairs due to settling, common in north texas with the clay soil. I am wondering what further problems are possible with relation to the foundation. There is a lifetime warranty, but are there any problems that can arise that are not covered with the warranty?

    • ANSWER:
      It is good that you have a TRANSFERABLE warranty, right? If so, then that is good. Make sure Before you buy the house that if any foundation repair has been done that the foundation repair company is reputable, registered, and is affirmed as having the warranty that can transfer to ALL new owners that come along…not just you.

      That being said, it is possible that foundation issues to still continue for years to come. Slight changes folks say the house is “settling”, but extensive changes are foundation issues and you can’t just sit on it and do nothing. Foundation problems can be from the expansion and contraction of the clay soils or it can be caused by a plumbing break (even ever so slight), so that may need to be checked, as well. If problems still arise, and the weather has been “balanced”, do check the plumbing for leaks under the foundation.

      So, weird very wet and very dry weather (which we just got over a 4 yr drought) can cause foundation issues for slab homes and a break in plumbing can do the same. Sometimes one causes the other, too.

      You mentioned North Texas, well howdy! I’ve lived in Collin County since 1966, and have seen quite a bit when it comes to types of homes built, neighborhoods that have foundation issues up & down the street, and some areas that seem fine.
      We do have strips of soils that are sandy and even shallow of the clay [meaning that rocky limestone is very close to the surface, which helps with foundations, but makes it tough on plants which need deep roots] , which makes for less shifting (Allen). Homes that are on pier & beam actually still have foundation issues, but they are MINOR in cost of repair. The track builders like Fox & Jacobs (Centex today) found that laying concrete slabs for foundations were quick and cheap and that is how all of this started. Other than that, homes were prior to then variations of Pier & Beam. Then other forms of slab came along with tension wires that claimed that were effective in keeping the foundation sound, but they weren’t perfect either.

      KRLD radio – 1080am on your dial has a saturday program that is hosted by an area homebuilder called Tom Tynan, I believe at 2pm. He’s easy to understand and is laid back and seems very honest. You can probably call in and ask him some questions like the one you posted here.

      KRLD can also be found www.krld.com

      Another thing, too. Check with the city building inspector of the town you are interested in. Just for example, the town of Frisco had some mutiple huge issues with foundations a few years ago because it was growing very quickly and many unprofessional builders flew in, built homes with POOR foundations, and they split. Home after home was cracking up, and the city stepped in and put in some very strick building restrictions before that finally cleared up. So, check up on the history of building in the town you are considering. Did they have extreem growth spurts, or was it controlled? Can make a difference! Check around the neighborhoods and look for signs in the yard of foundation work done. If you see a few, its possible that it’s a bad area for homes. This clay was great for the cotton and corn farmers, but it reaks havoc on the slab foundation home. And don’t even think of mobile homes – the old ones were constructed with 2×2’s and are as safe as a matchbox to live in. Even if they are “hurricane tethered” to the ground, and they are constructed with a late model 2×4 beams, and even PLACED on a slab, they will – I repeat WILL blow away with any great gust of wind. Period! So avoid mobile or manufactured homes. Pre-fab may be better, but I wouldn’t put my money there either, even if they do throw in some acerage!

      Be smart. Do your research. Might consider building your own and monitoring the construction. We are in a tornado proned area, so do try to build a reinforced “safety” room in your home for such times that tornado warnings are present.

      Good luck and a TEXAS WELCOME to you!

11. QUESTION:
    Leaking crack in foundation. What is the best sealant to use when you can’t keep the area dry?
    There is a crack in the flooring of my house. It’s about 10 inches long and not more than a finger-nail thick. Unfortunately, water is coming up from below the foundation. We’ve already talked to a plumber, and he says it’s not a pipe. (We can’t stop the leak long enough to apply any sort of dry-only sealant to it. It’s also leaking pretty badly; roughly 10 minutes worth of mopping every hour.) It’s not so bad that we can see it gushing out, but it is nevertheless leaking a lot of water.

    What do I need to do to stop this leak? Do you guys recommend any water-resistant sealants that can be applied to wet cement?

    Any additional information I need to know would help a lot. Thanks for your time!

    Derek

    • ANSWER:
      It is for sure a leaking pipe below the foundation. No way would water ever come up that high from ground water. You would have to have a pond in your yard that is near or at front door level.

      That is a very difficult and costly repair to both locate and repair. What has happened is that plastic tubing below the cement has probably been kinked and formed a hole in it and it is pressureizing the soil below, thus the flow is out of the crack into the dwelling itself.

      There is a special media, called iron Chloride that can be injected into the water pipe to locate the precise location of the hole in the pipe. An instrument similar to those used to find buried treasure is then used for the location.

      After that a trench of concrete is then sawed about 3 feet long by a foot wide. The slab is removed and the crused pea gravel and dirt below also and the repair is made on the pipe itself.

      Do not assume just because its coming out of that crack in the floor that the pipe leak is directly below. It is most like NOT and probably 5 or even 20 feet away from that crack.

      Sorry to be a bearer of bad news but this water is from a pipe and not a wet ground conditon.

      As a temporary relief, you can get a bundle of cedar shingles at Lowes and coat the ends with Polyurethane adhesive and drive those shingles sharp edge into the crack tightly sealing the crack, do this putting them close together. And breaking them off once driven into the crack. Those shingles will swell out something like wood on a boat and seal that crack.

      Any sort of caulk gun or cement applied will immediately be forced out the crack due to the internal pressue of the water in the soil below, so dont waste time or money on that.

12. QUESTION:
    How can I repair a leaky basement foundation?
    When it rains heavily, I get a couple puddles of water on my basement floor. The concrete driveway outside runs up to the foundation, and the driveway slopes slightly downwards as it reaches the foundation. It is only in this spot that my basement leaks. It doesn’t flood, but the basement is used for recreation, so I would like to know if I can repair this myself.

    • ANSWER:
      My dad this by putting a drainage system in our back yard. That way you can dirrect the water somewhere besides your basement.

      Ill try to tell you how he did it. He rented a back hoe and dug trenches in our yard. Then put this special pipe in it and drilled small holes on the top so the water will go in. Then he covered it with crushed stone. Then he put dirt on top of that. Then just put down some grass seed, and your back in business.

      Any home improvement store shoudl be able to give you other ideas. But this is what i got on the top of my head.

13. QUESTION:
    What does efflorescence on the inside of your poured concrete foundation mean?
    I know it is mineral and salt deposits from water, but does it mean you have a serious water problem or just something you should expect in an older foundation. There are no significant cracks or water leaks and since I have re done the grading and landscaping there are no “wet looking” spots on the walls. Did this fix my problem or do I need to do more? Drylok perhaps?

    • ANSWER:
      There could be a number of reasons for this, it’s hard to say if the regrading completly fixed the problem. Were there wet spots on the wall before the grading??

      Sounds like the waterproofing barrier has been comprimised on the outside of the foundation whether it was applied using the black tar/rubber compound or the rubber membrane. Having the efflorescence present is a sure sign that a water problem exists/existed but it’s hard to say if it’s ‘seriouse’. It can be very common in older foundations where the slope of the grade coming off the home is poor and it actually slopes towards the home but it sounds like you addresed this.

      IMHO using Drylock is kinda like a band aid repair. If you havent fixed the breech in the waterproof barrior then the water will find it’s way around the drylok and become present in another location. Possibly an unknown area that could turn into a problem later down the road.

      Do you have gutters? if so make sure the water that comes down the down spout is carried far away from the foundation. Water from downspouts will travel towards dry soil, unfortunatly that usually ends up being towards foundations with an improper grade. Make sure it’s carried far away from the home.

      This is kinda of a wait and see situation. Wait to see if your grading did the trick, if you notice that it didnt; the next appropriate step is to remove all the earth from the foundation wall and re apply the waterproof membrane but be warned; that this isnt cheap and usually will take a contractor with machinery to perform the work.

14. QUESTION:
    how long does it take to repair a water leak under the slab?
    we discovered a leak under our foundation today, and the landlord is sending a contactor tomorrow. what should i expect from this repair, and how long should it take? i’m just trying to find out if we will be displaced a few days over this?
    thanks.

    • ANSWER:
      plumber can fix it in a day, you will have to wait for concrete to dry, then carpet/flooring repair. 1 day meaning plumber has his act together and can locate leak.

15. QUESTION:
    what is the best product to use to repair cracks in a basement cement foundation.?
    it leaks from one point but the thin crack runs all the way up

    • ANSWER:
      We’re replacing our floors and found a great product called “Squeeze and Fill”. It is an elastomeric product that has a nozzle at the end that you snip off and squeeze right into the concrete crack. It works great and is flexible so when the floor expands/contracts it moves with the crack.

      Home Depot carries it and probably other hardware stores.

16. QUESTION:
    How can I fix my basement wall? It leaks and has some cracks here and there.?
    We took care of one side of the house. The driveway slopes to the house and so the water was getting in there through the cracks. For a quick fix now we tared the outside and we haven’t had a problem since then. In the front and back of the house we built up the dirt around the house to keep the water running away from the house. So now our problem is the other side of the house. We have a cinder block basement and it’s starting and/or is pushing in. I could probably grab the block and pull it right out. We’ve had a numerous amount of basement repair people come in and give us estimates ranging from 8 to 17 grand to fix it. I’ve had people tell us we could replace it on our own. So I was wondering if anyone had advice on how to do this? Other people have said to take a few blocks out at a time and replace them and then tar the back of the wall. I know it would be best to have a professional do it but if we had the money we would.

    • ANSWER:
      If your only problem was a leak in the basement wall, I’d recommend a repair using injected bentonite, which is a naturally occurring mineral that swells up in the presence of water to form a watertight seal. It can be injected from the outside around the perimeter of the basement wall, without having to excavate the backfill. The application, however, requires specialized equipment and should be done by a professional. Volclay Bentogrout is one product that is widely available:
      http://www.cetco.cl/bmg/pdf/bentogrout_techdata.pdf

      However, it appears that your concrete block wall is deteriorating. If the block wall is the foundation for your house, you’ve got a serious structural problem that must be addressed, or the house may collapse. I can’t tell from your statement if this is the situation. If so, you may need to call in house movers to support your house while the foundation is rebuilt. Reinforcing steel (“rebar”) should be used in the concrete block wall, and the cells should be fully grouted. This is not a job that can be done a few blocks at a time by a homeowner. I recommend that you have a licensed structural engineer examine the basement wall and advise you how to proceed. His consulting fee should not be too expensive, and will be money well spent.

17. QUESTION:
    repairing duct work under a slab foundation.?
    heavy rains floods the duct work, is there any way to fix the problem without disrupting the concrete slab.
    when we get heavy rain we have noticed water coming up in our floor vents. You know, the heating and cooling vents, Duct Work. Our house is on a slab is there some way to repair the the Duct Work without major Damage to the cement slab? Can we install Duct work inside the origianl Duct Work to resolve this or we are open for suggestions.

    • ANSWER:
      I dislike having to disagree with Stan and G-man, BUT…

      Back in the 50s and 60s [maybe even the late 40s] they DID install heating and A/C ducts BELOW THE SLAB.

      This was done before the slab was poured.

      Now, as to your “flooding” problem. First, you must determine HOW the water is getting into the duct work, and then use that info to evaluate a solution.

      IF the duct work was galvanized sheet metal, then it has probably rusted badly and is full of holes allowing water percolating through the ground to enter the ducts.

      IF the ducts were of poured concrete, then there may be openings at “cold joints” [a cold joint is where concrete is not poured continuously, and the contact surface of the earlier pour had time to set, or even to cure. Even though the crack is minute, groundwater will seep, or even flow through it].

      Another possibility is simply that there was inadequate reinforcing steel in the duct concrete and settlement cracks have opened up allowing the water in.

      Regardless, I can’t think of any way to seal the cracked and leaking ducts without being able to get to them [breaking out the slab]. One possibility could be to “seal” the inner walls an “roof” of the ducts with a seamless, thick coating of some rubberlike material, but I am unaware of any firm in that business.

      The best solution would be to find an old-timer in the heating and A/C business as he would best know possible solutions.

      I suspect that a modern-day HVAC PRO will say that the under-slab ducts will have to be abandoned “in place,” SEALED [with vapor barrier] from the house interior, and a conventional forced-air duct system installed above the slab.

      If this is not econmically feasible then I would try to reduce the problem by pumping the water from the duct system [hopefully as fast as it enters].

      The first thing I would try, if it’s possible to fit, is to install a small sump pump, or a boat bilge pump AT THE LOWEST POINT in the duct system. Then run the discharge line to your sanitary sewer drain system, or outside the house.

      Boat bilge pumps can be obtained that use 110-125 volt Alternating Current [AC] or 12 volt DC.

      If you use a DC pump you will have to power it with a SUITABLE AC powered automotive battery charger [with an automotive battery in the circuit to buffer the output of the charger,or an AC to DC power inverter. If you use an AC pump, it can be plugged into the nearest electrical outlet.

      If the fit is feasible, you will be able to prevent the ducts from flooding, although you will not eliminate the water or humidity from the water entering the duct system.

      To counteract the humidity issue you could install a dehumidifyer in the heating and A/C plenum.

18. QUESTION:
    What happens if you leave the garden hose attached to the outdoor spigot during winter?
    One winter we did leave the hose attached and the next spring we turned the spigot on. And the water leaked into the basement behind where the spigot is attached to the house. So what exactly happened? What needs to be repaired?

    • ANSWER:
      The pipe in the wall burst, due to the water freezing and expanding the pipe. With the hose on, the water says in the pipe. This is a major repair Because the pipe is no doubt in the concrete foundation.

      If the hose had been taken off, before the winter freeze, the water wouldn’t have remained in the pipe. With the hose off, when you turn the handle off, the handle is on the outside but the stop valve is way down the pipe, where it won’t freeze. So sorry to hear that this happened. But I am sure you’ll never make the same mistake twice after this. Good luck on the repair.

19. QUESTION:
    What is the best way to file a home insurance claim,my friend has water coming up from her floor,we think it’s
    foundation problems,the concrete slab may have cracked. She has already called her insurance company and they are sending a insurance adjuster out, Tuesday. But should she confirm what is causing the water first,before the adjuster comes out. She just wants to deal with this as quick as possible,as to have no delays on repairing this issue,because we are starting to get alot of rain out here.

    • ANSWER:
      You call the agent. She’s filed the claim.

      If she has an HO3, she doesn’t have to confirm what’s causing the water.

      But likely, this isn’t going to be covered. Cracked slabs are not covered, if it cracks due to settling. Foundation problems due to settling, not covered. Ground water seeping in, or a high water table, also, both not covered.

      Unless she’s got a pipe in her wall cracked and leaking, I don’t think there’s going to be coverage ANYWAY.

20. QUESTION:
    How do i fix the leak in my basement?
    i have a very leaky basement that looks like a waterfall everytime it rains, and i live in oregon so thats a lot. i have had a few people over and nobody knows what to do for it. does anybody know who i would contact in this type of situation?
    this isnt no small little leak either, it will fill up my basement with 3 feet of water in a 1 hour time period. and i have tried a plumber and that hasn’t worked out to well because they dont deal with these kind of issues.
    and on the outside of the wall is 4 concrete steps so i have to work around that and a deck with pipes connecting to a hot tub.
    it is coming for a hole by the concrete steps
    which is from the wall

    • ANSWER:
      I also live in Oregon and the proper way to fix problems like this is something called a “french drain”. You mentioned that you have a ‘hole by the concrete steps”. If this was the ONLY problem then you could see about rerouting the water from that point to another by digging a trench where the stream starts and then have it diverted away from where it is going into the ground. But I venture a guess that you have a spring near your foundation and the water is really coming from it. When it rains, the spring is active and your foundation can’t handle the water – hence you get the waterfall.

      Step 1 – invest in a submercible pump (if you haven’t already). Some people in Oregon can never get rid of the water and simply have a three foot home dug in their foundation and the pump sits in this hole. When water fills the hole it immediately begins pumping the water out a hose to a place you decide.

      Step 2 – look in the phone book for a company that does excavations and ask if they install French drains. A proper French drain would be dug outside your house and would be deep enough that whatever water level the water is running at (where the spring is) – in my case about 4 feet down – a perforated pipe is put in, then it is filled with gravel and the water is re-reouted away from your basement. They can deal with the problems of steps, landscaping, etc.

      Step 3 – check with your homeowners insurance (or ask your landloard to do it). If this leak wasn’t “always” there then the repairs may be covered by insurance. The longer you wait, the harder this will be to prove. And if it was there when you purchased the house but you weren’t told of the problem, ask a realtor about non-disclosure.

      Hope this helps. The other answers are helpful, but no one mentioned the key phrase – french drain!

21. QUESTION:
    What is better a static test or camera?
    A foundation repair company thinks we might have a leak because outside the house he saw the soil moist in one little area and most of the house is elevated except the front were it needs the peers because it dropped. Anyways he suggested a static test but won’t placing a camera to look at all the plumbing be better? The home is on concrete slab.

    • ANSWER:
      Cameras may or may not see the problem. A pressure test will always show if there is a leak, but it wont show where. Cameras are great for finding roots, blockages, and sags. A pressure test is great for verifying if the pipe is leaking. It is not easy to do a pressure test once the pipe is buried, as it has to be plugged before it enters the main sewer.

22. QUESTION:
    Should homeowners insurance cover mold in basement – covered previous claim due to basement flooding?
    Okay – a year a go we had a pipe burst outside the house and the water basically ran down into our foundation in our furnace room and flooded the basement. Probably a good 2 inches of water throughout the basement (finished basement – living room, bedroom) Replaced all the carpet and the drywall about 2 ft up from base. Insurance covered this. They didn’t cover the pipe repair outside that caused the leak – but the inside they did. So now, we’ve discovered we have mold in our bedroom. It’s fairly obvious that it’s being caused b/c any moisture coming from outside (rain) is all running down now to where the water made it’s path to the foundation the first time, and then it must be sitting there. Insurance is balking at this. Saying they’re not responsible. We can fix the mold. We can fix the drywall. But it’s just going to happen again next year. Anybody?

    • ANSWER:
      The only time water ingress from the outside (non-flood) is covered is if something that is covered by the policy makes a hole in the building exterior first. So water entering because of cracks in the foundation or the water erode the mortar in a brick/concrete block foundation is not covered. Water that enters the home during a rainstorm after someone runs their vehicle into your home would be covered, because vehicle impact (other than your own) is covered.
      Damage caused by mold, rust, corrosion, wet or dry rot, and condensation are always excluded under any property policy. Losses insured under a property policy need to be sudden and accidental. The perils I just listed all occur over a period of time. That and the perils I listed are maintenance issues.

23. QUESTION:
    I found a vertical crack on the outside of my house foundation. What do I do?
    It is a split level house, built in 1962 in a rainy city.

    • ANSWER:
      The caulking could work, unless water is causing the foundation to settle and crack.

      This site describes the cheap “quick fix” way to deal with it, or as my dad would say, the “Mickey Mouse” way:

      http://www.ehow.com/how_5690581_fix-foundation-leaks.html

      If it works, then great. But you’ll probably be repeating this a couple times at least!

      Here are a couple other options. One involves repairing the crack from INSIDE w/low-pressure urethane foam. That’s also a quick and temporary fix.

      A “French drain” is another. It keeps our 100+ y.o. basement dry, but does NOT stop cracking due to frost or water damage on the OUTSIDE (we’ve been lucky there, but ONLY there–the rest of the house is like a seive!). ANyway, here’s a link for those 2 options:

      http://www.repair-concrete.com/foundation-crack-repair.html

      For a more permanent solution

      THEN you need to dig out all round the foundation, down to the bottom, put in a layer of rocks and gravel, then a perforated drain pipe or tile (or replace the one that is not working). THEN you coat the foundation with tar or other waterproofing, like A-tech masonry and brick repair-a Low-VOC sealant, then backfill. Make sure to have your surface slope away from the house for added drainage.

      There is a system called “Drainguard” which replaces the traditional tile, and has strips that run vertically, funneling water down to the drain strip:

      For a picture and description, go here:

      http://www.appliedtechnologies.com/home/drainguard_modular_groundwater.html

      Here’s a brief description of the urethane method (inside or out) vs. excavation:

      “Urethane injections are okay if the crack is small, but if the crack has been ignored and has become large and gaping, it is better to repair it using a drainage tile. For larger leaks outside the house, a more extensive method is employed. A trench is dug at the affected place and the drainage tile is replaced if necessary. The trench is then filled – first with coarse gravel to make it more waterproof and then with the soil. This method is used even when dams spring a leak in their foundation.”

      http://ezinearticles.com/?Foundation-Leak-Repair&id=119864

24. QUESTION:
    Is it necessary to patch cracks in concrete foundations in homes?
    there is a hairline crack approximately 10 feet long in the house. It was discovered when a water pipe in the foundation broke and water seeped up into the house through this crack.

    • ANSWER:
      Soils under your house can act as a sponge contracting and expanding during wet/dry periods. Depending on how long the pipe had been leaking, it is possible that the soil under your home expanded and caused the crack, in which a patch will be just fine. If you have noticed other cracks in your floor, walls or on the exterior of your house you may have some foundation movement. I work for a house leveling company, the repair can be very costly but saves you ALOT in the long run.

25. QUESTION:
    Help me out with the basement water leakage problem?
    For the last 10 years my house was in a very good condition. To build the house, i had bought concrete & all the other building materials from the finest building materials suppliers in Canada. But recently, i noticed that my house’s basement & walls are getting cracked and leaking water during rainy season. Am i have to contact any home repairing company or is there any process by which i can solve that problem myself?

    • ANSWER:
      If you bought good materials, the waterproofing for the foundation walls might still be under warranty. You did install a waterproofing membrane, yes? Check with them. You need to divert water away from the foundation of the house. The proper use of rain gutters and piping and drains and swales will solve that part of the problem. Regarding the walls that are already cracked, have a prfessional structural engineer evaluate them and make a recommendation for repair.

      Good Luck

26. QUESTION:
    I cant seem to get rid of the musty smell in my basement?
    I run my daycare in my basement and I use a dehumidifier which works some but also heats the rooms up. Does anyone have any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      You’re not going to to like the answer for this problem, because you use the basement for your daycare business. The musty odor is probably caused by mold and mildew in some parts of the basement. This mold and mildew is what’s likely causing the odor you smell. Unfortunately the only good cure is to remove everything possible form the basement like carpeting, furniture, curtains, toys and everything else that isn’t attached to the floor or walls. Choose a sunny day with low humidity and get everything outside into the sun to kill any mold/mildew spores. “Beat” the carpet to remove the dust and allergens from the carpeting. If it’s not too heavy, hang it on a clothes line for the best dust removal. You can use a proper commercial cleaning spray that contains bleach to wipe toys, books, and most other items you had in the basement. Once you’ve cleared out your basement, sweep or vacuum the floors and use a dry scrub to get rid of accumulated dust. You should then use a solution of 3/4 chlorine bleach to a gallon of water to mop up the floors and wash the walls. Let it sit for five minutes and give it a rinse with cold water. Let dry and help the drying process by mopping with a dry mop and having a fan circulate the air in your basement. Make sure that you scrub the walls, cornices and corners very well! You’re not just cleaning out the basement but killing the mildew that’s been growing in your basement. Check the drainage or your basement pipes for condensation. When too much condensation builds up in the pipes, it will drip down your basement floor or run down the pipes and stay there. With the condensation comes the musty basement smell. Prevent condensation from building up by wrapping pipe insulation around your basement pipes. The rainy season can also cause a buildup of moisture, so make sure that the ground slopes away from the foundations of your house and that the downspouts of the house extends six feet or more away from your house. Leaking pipes is also another problem that you can run into. Repair any leaks you find in the basement. You indicated that you already operate a dehumidifier in the basement. Make sure it’s the proper size and is working as it should. High humidity is what makes molds and mildew grow and spread rapidly. Providing more ventilation in your basement will also help. Installing cross-ventilation that connects your basement with the ventilation system in other parts of your house is another way to prevent humidity and stagnant air. A simpler solution could be creating windows or installing air vent fans in your basement. Condensation can build up on the basement walls. There are many causes for condensation on the walls, such as the structure of the house, the climate, the make of the walls, the drainage system and possibly even the activities of the children during the day. Any cracks in the walls that weep water should be repaired. The walls can be cleaned with “TSP” ( Trisodium – Phosphate ) or its equivalent, and then dried and sealed with a latex concrete sealer if desired. If there is any area up high, ( out of the reach of children ), you could scatter some charcoal briquettes to absorb moisture. This is a lot of work and can be accomplished within a reasonable time period with some help. More time is involved than expense, unless there are problems with the floor or walls. Hope this sheds some light on fixing this “odor” problem in your basement.

27. QUESTION:
    what is best for patching foundation crack or flaw that leaks?
    Tar or hydraulic cement? I tried concrete and roof cement ,with just the concrete it still leaked, hoping that roof cement can stop leaking,,,not sure what to do if it doesn’t work,,, any suggestions? thanks

    • ANSWER:
      As you have found out, you can not use regular concrete. You have to use hydraulic cement. On top of this you have to make sure that you chisel out the crack deep enough for the hydraulic cement to expand and grip the existing concrete.

      This is acceptable for small leaks like rusting concrete form ties. However when it is a much larger crack you can go with polyurethane concrete injection at about per foot.

      Otherwise cracks have to be repaired from the outside where the hydraulic pressure of the ground water is being applied. If the crack is high enough, you can dig down manually, clean the wall, apply the tar/fiberglass/tar coating at least one foot on either side of the crack. If the crack is lower down and you can manually dig it out, it would be best to use the tar/fiberglass/tar along with a dimpled membrane that will allow the ground water to your weeping tile. This is assuming that your weeping tiles are working properly.

      The best solution is to have your whole foundation wall sealed but that is expensive as you obviously know having asked the question about patching. Abalon is expensive. They do know their stuff, however. There are other contractors who can do it for less.

28. QUESTION:
    The foundation to our home is cracking. Is this normal?
    Our home is 2 years old and we have noticed that one wall of the foundation has a crack and water has started to leak through when it rains. We also have 3 cracks along the floor of the basement that span the entire length, but no water leakage. Is this normal? I have heard that houses need to settle into the soil but I am worried about how many more cracks/leaks we will have in the future and how to fix these. Any tips or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      All new houses have settlement issues ranging from a small separation in some crown molding to a crack in the foundation. As much you are supposed to construct it on virgin soil, there is still slight movement expected. That’s why contractors usually give a 12-18 month warranty on new homes.

      However, water leaking through a foundation wall is a big problem for a new house. The outside of foundation walls should be covered with a waterproofing membrane and/or drainboard to protect from water intrusion however if a sizable crack has formed, the membrane could also have been torn by the movement of the concrete. You also may not have this membrane depending on what corners the contractor may have cut during construction. If you see the water is seeping through high up the wall, then it might be as simple as a patch/repair to the waterproofing membrane which can be done by excavating, with a shovel, against the foundation wall where the crack is to see what condition it’s in. You can buy tar and membrane and do it yourself or hire a contractor. If it’s coming out lower on the wall it could be the same thing or it could be an issue with your footing drain. Water is meant to run down the foundation wall and hit the footing drain then drain away from the building. If the footing drain is clogged or crushed the water will just sit at the bottom of the wall and hydrostatic pressure will force it into whatever cracks their are in your foundation wall or slab.

      To determine whether or not the crack is getting any bigger. Place a piece of rigid tape, packing, masking, etc. over the crack. If it tears or shifts off the wall slightly then the crack is still moving and your best to contact an architect or engineer. If it’s done settling, you can hire a contractor to patch it from the outside and inside with a non-shrink grout and do the waterproofing like I previously mentioned.

      It would be worth it however, to have an architect or engineer inspect the house, not a licensed house inspector. Licensed house inspectors are required to pass a course to attain their license. Engineers and Architects are educated for 4-5 years and experienced in structural issues.

      Good luck,
      later

29. QUESTION:
    My basement wall has mold which is cause by rain and water from outside.. How can I stop this problem?
    I also would like to know how to get rid of existing mold mold

    • ANSWER:
      First, don’t panic. Not all mould is toxic. It’s very important that you isolate the area where the water is coming in and repair it. Is the ground outside the house graded up towards the basement so that water doesn’t pool there? If the ground is properly graded, depending on the age of the house there may or may not be weeping tile around the basement to take away the ground water. Call in a contractor who’s experienced with foundations & basements to see what the water source might be. In the meantime remove
      any wet & detiorating materials around the leak area. & clean the concrete surface with strong soap & water not bleach. Keep an eye on it & try to keep it dry.

30. QUESTION:
    The 22′ l, x 4’w x4′ deep concrete bunker is between the subfloor and the slab foundation?
    We don’t have basements in Texas and I don’t want or need to use the ‘bunker’. I need to seal it up once I pump the water out and the foundation is evaluated and repaired.

    • ANSWER:
      I read your other question, and not sure bunker is the best word for it, sounds like a horse trough or a cistern, it may have preexisted the house and the contractor was to lazy to remove it before construction (you’d be amazed at the amount of construction garbage and spiders you find while restoring homes), or it was put there to trap rain water (little unusual for the area but not uncommon on islands) it would have piping to it for that though.

      Id say the cheapest and easiest thing to do would be to rent an electric roto-hammer and punch a few holes in the bottom and corners so it drains in the future and just leave it, maybe fill it with gravel. If waters getting into the foundation it probably needs to be sealed and drain tile installed and that would keep any more water from collecting unless the water is piped in from the gutters or leaking from the house. Cant really say much without seeing it.

31. QUESTION:
    Is there cheaper but just as effective way to repair leaking crack in basement wall than epoxy injection?

    • ANSWER:
      You can buy stuff for repairing cracks in concrete at Home Depot or Rona. It is concrete powder that I think is called Rock Tight. We used it very successfully to repair a crack in our foundation wall. We dug down until we found the bottom of the crack outside and filled it on both sides of the wall. It gets harder than concrete and it survived a minor earthquake a few years ago. It will get hot while you are working with it so wear gloves.

32. QUESTION:
    what happens when the concrete slab under your home cracks all the way around?

    • ANSWER:
      Get it checked by a contractor who specializes in foundations. Get it repaired if possible. The sooner the better. Cracks tend to get bigger over time and could lead to leaks in your first floor.

      I agree with ‘mblastguy’. Contacting you city or county engineer is a good plan. You have already paid him with your tax dollars. He/she could tell you how serious teh problem is and how to remedy it.

33. QUESTION:
    How can I fix my basement which has some water issues and open ceilings plus brick walls?(multiple poles too)?
    Hi. The basement is huge but has a water leak somewhere which naturally seems to grade down and out the side doors(this used to be a drive into garage basement). I have thought of putting down bricks then laying a basic floor so I could apply some sort of covering then I saw some ‘patch it’ type items at Lowes, etc for basements. Made me think I could fix this…?? Okay, there is also open ceilings which house my A/C and Furnace venting plus plumbing pipes. The side walls are all brick and a few of them are ‘flaking’ red dust, but not much or many. There’s a large chimney column but that chimney is plugged and nonworking, I’d like to cover it too. I also have my water heater and furnace in the basement plus a side room and two windows. I’d really like to make it a bit more livable and perhaps make a TV or workout room down there but right now its just so bare/raw and has that water issue. Would covering those items up top be a problem for any future repairs? Thanks!

    • ANSWER:
      Address the moisture issue first. Dig down a couple of feet on the sides of the house where the moisture is coming into the basement and seal the foundation concrete with an appropriate product. Possibly add a diverter flange below grade to lead water away from the house a few feet so it will absorb into the ground and not build up against the foundation. Some home are simply in a natural drain plane and difficult to seal. Also seal the inside walls of the moist areas. Then go for the remodeling project. Seal all the walls if you are going to cover them to prevent mold and such. If the chimney is not in use I think you can remove it instead of covering it up, but it could collapse downward when doing so. I would contact a chimney company about this before demolition. Another option on the chimney is to clean up the weeping morter (which is typical in the basement) with a stiff wire brush and putting a brick colored sealer on the chimney to dress it up and make it look nice. The brick accent could be a nice touch to a basement room. Your main issue is moisture. Get that resolved and you can do whatever you want from there!

      You can add a ceiling over the exposed beams, but avoid the typical “drop” ceiling” because you would have to lower the ceiling too much for a basement to be able to get the tiles in and out. Some other kind of removable panel system with a zero clearance to the beams or furnace ducts would be nice to keep the ceiling height acceptable. Lower profile furnace ducts are also an option for more head room. I did a basement ceiling once with lath strips and used acoustical tiles, but that is pretty permanent and does not allow for the running of speaker wires and such later. Something modular would be nice. There are a lot of new ceiling systems out there now.

      The only way to get rid of those poles is to add a support beam, which could be a head banger if the ceiling is too low. You would probably still need at least one post in the middle.

      For the floor, if it is nice, flat and smooth concrete, a good grade of concrete paint works well. You can sponge a patten on it for a cool and inexpensive look. My parents used linoleum tiles that lasted 30+ years on their basement floor!

      Good Luck,

      Rick

34. QUESTION:
    crack in foundation, crack in dining room wall and beam running through basement ceiling?
    There is a 12 inch “stairstep” (more horizonal though) crack in the foundation of a home I was looking to purchase. It also has a very large crack in the dining room (opposite side of the house from where the foundation crack is) and it almost runs ceiling to floor, and is not in the center of the wall, but at the 90 degree angle where the 2 walls meet. There is slight water damage in the ceiling of dining room above the crack.
    There is also a steel beam running through the basement ceiling (or upstairs floor)
    Questions are: Do you think the cracked wall, water damage in the dining room and steel beam are related to a very large foundation problem? The basement appeared dry when I viwed the house, but it has not rained her for a week. There is a sump pump on the opposite side of basement. The house was built in 1929 and has concrete block for the foundation. Any ideas?
    thank you so far…
    i must add that most of the homes in my area were built before 1920. I live in new England. I am awre of lead paint. Asbestos is a new thing to think about, but unfortunetly hard to escape in my region.
    would like to add there is not a bathroom over the dining room, but there is a door leading out to a balcony right over it.
    Am going back to give it another look and check for HEAPS of things I found to look for online. Thanks Mass Contractor.

    • ANSWER:
      Hello Patricia,
      I lived and worked in the Boston area as a contractor, over 20 years, and I have better news.
      The house is 77 years old! It has been through floods, blizzards and hurricanes. The problems you describe are extremely common to a house of this age. If this house were 5 years old, we would be having a different conversation.
      The sump pump is almost expected, as is the lead paint and asbestos issues. This is all part of owning an old house. I have some questions, though.
      1) Is there evidence the cracks were recently repaired and have opened up again?
      2) Do your doors and windows open and close easily, without binding or rubbing? Look to see if the tops or bottoms of the doors have been taper-cut.
      3) Is there a bathroom over the dining room leak?

      A 77 year old house is unlikely to just collapse upon itself. Yes, there are normal maintenance and repairs that can be done to minimize water in the basement and shed water away from the house. Some of your step- cracks could be from freeze/ thaw in the moist soil adjacent to the foundation. Overall, This sounds like just an average old house. If in doubt, hire a structural engineer.

      Oh, yeah. Termites are unlikely but have it inspected.

35. QUESTION:
    i have a leaking basement removed drywall can’t see a crack see water seeping in through concrete help?
    inside of the wall are tarred concrete looks pouris have not yet dug out around the outside yet need tips for repairs

    • ANSWER:
      I am a concrete contractor that has delt with this sort of problem before. There are 2 ways for water to get through concrete. First and most obviouse is a crack of coarse. If this was the case you would need to dig on the outside to the footing, clean the crack and fill with regid tar, cover with a plastic and tar the seams of plastic, place wood against the plastic and back fill. The wood will stop the settling backfill dirt from pulling the plastic down. The plastic serves as a dampner as the house shifts and opens and closes this crack the plastic stops water from getting in.

      However, I know you mentioned no crack. But just in case. The next way for water to get in is through a tie hole. Ties are the metal pin that goes through the concrete. Part of the installation process. Sometimes when they get knocked off the work loose and water finds it’s way through (or rust if older). You will have to find which one and still fix from the out side of house and simply patch with thick tar (same as roof tar).

      Water can not penatrate concrete by osmosis. Unless your house is greater than 100 yr old. When you search for the water leak, make sure your not confusing condensation with water leak.

      If your leak is at the top of wall, you will need to check your brick or siding as water is getting behind it and travelling down and into your house where they meet the foundation.

      If your home is located where the water table is high and you don’t have a sump pump, than your leak may be at footing and wall edge. This will require a drainage tile repair and is quite costly.

      Also check that your down spouts from your eaves troph is not pointing in the direction or in a way the is creating the deluge of water at your homes edge.

      Hope this helps and good luck with your repair

36. QUESTION:
    Calcification in concrete?
    After about 2 months our newly painted concrete floor has bubbled (in one area only) and is coming off in large round chunks. The contractor said that it is calcification from the concrete and underground water. He said that it is a condition of the cheap concrete that was laid in the foundation and not a problem with the paint. The area had previously had problems staying painted but I do not have a full history.

    Is this calcification? What can we do to fix/stop the problem? Is there some way to paint over it or seal it then pain over it that will not come off again for a long time?
    MORE DETAILS:
    The floor had been badly in need of repair since before I came to work there; some areas were fine, some were chipped; and other areas had large sections of paint missing. One area that already had large sections of paint missing is the area in question.
    A month later a small portion of it started looking blistered and crackled when walked on. 2 months later and the blisters have broken open. The paint is cracking off and the concrete is showing through; it seems white and powdery.
    Only one area is doing this; the rest of the surface is fine.

    • ANSWER:
      It would seem that if “cheap concrete” were the cause the floor would be affected in more than one area, more likely water intrusion from possibly leaking water supply or drain or lack of gravel base and or vapor barrier under concrete in that area allowing moisture to penetrate concrete(any concrete will absorb water if it is not sealed in some fashion. the white powder is mineral deposits leached from concrete left from water evaporation. apossible fix is scrape off loose paint and clean area thoroughly ,removing all “calcification” then seal area with concrete sealer(can be found at construction and concrete suppliers) applied on warmed surface if possible Another application may be an Epoxy resin such as used in fiberglass repair but probably more expensive for large areas. let sealer dry or cure well then repaint .

37. QUESTION:
    Can cement, damaged by salt be repaired…?
    My parents had a new cement driveway put down last summer, and accidentally used a non-safe-for-cement salt, and now it is flaking in small areas. Can this damaged be repaired by some kind of patch or filler compound – or is the damage permanent.

    • ANSWER:
      Behr (can find this @ Home Depot
      No. 980 Concrete & Masonry Waterproofer

      A premium interior/exterior waterproofing formula that uses the latest water-based silicone technology designed to penetrate surfaces up to 1/2″. This waterproofer creates a barrier inside the surface that keeps water out, but lets trapped water vapors escape; reducing corrosion, spalling, efflorescence and freeze-thaw damage. It reduces staining due to mold, mildew, algae growth and ensures greater durability of the surface. The protection is not worn away with normal use. It protects long after the water beading is gone!

      Available In
      – Concrete & Masonry Waterproofer No. 980 – MSDS

      Independent Testing: Passes Federal Specification SS-W-110-C 4.3.2 for water repellency on porous masonry materials and conforms to ASTM E-514, a wind-driven rain test.

      Where To Use

      A premium formula that uses breakthrough water-based silicone technology to protect horizontal and vertical masonry surfaces such as concrete block, split face block, pavers, stucco, porous or dense brick, unglazed clay tile, exposed aggregate concrete, sandstone and slate. Ideal for untreated driveways, garage floors, patios, foundations and walkways.

      Not recommended for use on basement walls or floors subject to hydrostatic pressure (active leaks or continuously damp spots).

      CAUTION: Sealed surfaces may become slippery when wet. Use caution when walking on surface when moisture is present. Apply in sections so wet material does not have to be walked on during application.

      Preparation*

      (The following steps are recommended for best results.)
      New concrete must cure for a minimum of 30 days.
      REMOVE OLD COATING, if present, for proper penetration and adhesion.
      CLEAN: Remove dirt, oil and grease stains with BEHR® NO. 990 CONCRETE CLEANER & DEGREASER. For mildew stain removal, use BEHR NO. 62 MULTI-SURFACE CLEANER & MILDEW STAIN REMOVER. Follow all label instructions.
      Repair cracks and holes in the concrete with a Portland cement-based crack filler. All surface repairs should be done at least 3 days prior to application.
      TEST: Check for an unseen waterproofer on the surface by sprinkling a few drops of water on the surface to be topcoat-treated. If water completely absorbs into the surface within a few minutes, the surface is porous enough to accept the treatment. If water beads or stays on the surface, you may have a previous treatment that needs to be removed. If so, you will need to strip the entire surface with a chemical stripper. For exterior, use BEHR NO. 64 15 MINUTE QUIK-FIX® DECK FINISH REMOVER & WOOD RESURFACER to remove latex- or oil-based finishes. For 100% acrylic water-based products, use a conventional paint stripper. Refer to product label for specific instructions. For interior, use a chemical stripper designed for interior use. After stripping, re-test surface for repellency.
      ETCH: For smooth or new concrete, or for surfaces with efflorescence, use BEHR NO. 991 CONCRETE ETCHER & RUST REMOVER. Follow all label instructions. Wear appropriate eye, skin and apparel protection when applying etching solution. Protect plants and other surfaces from splashing. TIP: Use a plastic watering can to evenly spread the etcher. Working in small sections, apply solution into surface with a stiff bristle broom. On sloped surfaces, work from the lowest point to the highest. Allow etching solution to remain on surface for 5 to 10 minutes. Scrub while rinsing thoroughly with clean water and allow surface to dry. For best results and time savings, use a pressure washer to remove dust and residue.
      Repeat the water penetration test.
      Application
      DO NOT THIN. Stir or shake before applying. Milky white color of product makes it easy to see coverage but it dries clear.
      Avoid applying sealer in direct sunlight or to preheated surfaces. Use product when air and surface temperatures are between 50-90°F (10-32°C). Surface must be thoroughly dry for penetration of product.
      May be applied by brush, roller or a pump sprayer. Apply until saturated by brush, roller or garden sprayer to a dry surface at the spread rate of about 250 sq. ft. per gallon. Specific spread rates for common materials are:
      Clay tile or sandstone 100-150
      Concrete cinder block 100-150
      Split face block 150-200
      Broom-finished concrete 150-200
      Unsealed brick (Porous) 150-200
      Pavers 150-200
      Stucco 200-250
      Exposed aggregate 250-300
      Unsealed brick (Dense) 300-400
      Smooth, hard-packed concrete 300-400
      Slate 400-500
      After 5 minutes, remove any surface residue or puddles by spreading product to drier areas or by wiping up excess with a clean cloth.
      On vertical surfaces, apply from the bottom up and saturate well.

38. QUESTION:
    why house(wood framed house) needs crawl space?
    hi, i’m korean who does a construction work. sorry… i can’t english well.

    i want know reason that wood framed house have crawl space. concreat slab foundation Isn’t simply? To my thought it is very difficult that manage craw space. if foundation is concreat slab, There isn’t management necessary?
    thanks to thewrangler_sw.

    i have other question. is there more economic profit use the lumber than use the concrete. for example, instead of concrete slab, lumber joists are more cheap? so, Isn’t a thing which uses the lumber?

    • ANSWER:
      Houses with wood floor joists often have a crawlspace so that the utilities (electric, plumbing, air ducts, etc) can be run under them.
      Houses with concrete slab floors have most of these items buried in the concrete.

      Concrete slab foundations are somewhat faster and easier to build on. The big drawback, from a maintenance standpoint though, is that if anything ever has to be repaired, it means cutting through the concrete. (pipes leak occasionally, and duct work caving in is a pretty common complaint). It is also harder to remodel on a concrete slab, since all the plumbing and drain lines are buried in the concrete. If you wanted to add a bathroom, or just move things around in one, it would be a problem.

      Have Fun

39. QUESTION:
    Old-house walls move with seasons. Address it or ignore it?
    Concrete block basement walls have mostly horizontal cracks, that spread as the wall bows in for part of the year,( trees were planted too close 60 yrs. ago). The wall contracts other parts of the year. No leaks. Another interior wall shifts too, compensating for the exterior. On the main floor hairline cracks appear on walls and ceiling.

    For the life of the building, are we better off to address it or ignore it?

    • ANSWER:
      Address it, obviously.

      Any chance you can remove those trees and roots? If not, I would contact a contractor who specializes in foundation repair. They can likely figure out a way to stabilize the situation before it becomes a major problem.

      I had this done on my own house, and it was just a matter of reinforcing the basement walls.

40. QUESTION:
    why is water seeping through the foundation of my house?
    there’s water in my back yard & front yard ,in my bath room,garage . it stops flooding after i shut off main water supply . also floors in kitchen,bathrooms are warm.my walls remain dry

    • ANSWER:
      Sounds like you live in a slab house. Either way you definitely have a busted water line and since it is warm then it’s more than likely on the hot side water pipes. You have two sets of pipes running under your house, hot and cold. Try turning the water heater off at the valve, not the power. That should stop the water flow and at least you’ll have cold water throughout the house for cooking and toilets and other things. Just make sure you keep all the hot sides to your faucets in the off position. You’ll need a professional plumber especially if it’s a slab home. Call them first and they can recommend a water restoration company that will come in and dry your home out and let you know what if anything needs to be ripped out and replaced. While the plumber is on his way call your Insurance company and let them know what’s going on. This could get costly. The plumber will need to locate the leak under your house and if it’s a pier and beam house it shouldn’t take as long. If it’s a slab house it will take longer because leaks are more difficult to locate under concrete. Once located under the slab there are a couple of ways to repair it. Either tunnel from the outside of the home to under the slab to where the leak is or break up the concrete over the water pipes. Either way gets pretty pricey so you’ll definitely want your insurance company involved. A third way is to run a new water line overhead through the attic. The plumber will know the best course of action for each case is different in its own unique way. Good luck with the difficult journey ahead.

41. QUESTION:
    Wooden sill rotted out from leaking water getting through siding how to seal?.?
    I have a home which has a concrete block foundation at the top there is a wooden sill which has rotted out. The water is getting thru by going up under the siding and over the concrete block and wooden sill. My question is what do I do to seal this? The only thing I can think is to remove the starter strip of siding and tuck in flashing under the siding. Any other ideas?

    • ANSWER:
      I don’t understand how water travels “up” under the siding and over the blocks to the sill plate??? If the sill plate is below grade (ie the ground outside is higher than the sill), flashing wont help unless it diverts the water several feet from the foundation (and the ground has to be sloped away from the house). I’d check your gutters and look for where water is accumulating around your foundation walls… if you have gutters, they should divert the water away. You gotta solve the water problem first… then repair the sill (consider using composite materiel so it will never rot again).

42. QUESTION:
    how much does it cost to build a 10 by 12 foot ground deck?
    i want to build a deck 10 by 12 but i want it close to the ground like 2 feet off the ground and i want to know a rough estimate of how much it will cost.

    • ANSWER:
      depends on the type of wood. figure about 120 for sonic tubes and concrete for the foundation, and then about 0-0 for wood (pressure treated), considering you will have to get large planks and also some large cross beams and 4×4 or 8×8 for corners. Same for bannisters, horizontal rails will cost less. Figure another couple hundred for flashing and any repairs where you connect to the house (if it’s not done right you ruin the siding and can let water leak in. Hardware (nails,screws, lag bolts will run about 80 or so at Home Depot.)

      If you are going with cedar or mahogany triple or quadruple that at least. You can’t go with regular pine because it will rot quickly.

43. QUESTION:
    I get water in my floor vents everytime it rains. whats a good way to get the water out? Foundation problem.?

    • ANSWER:
      yeah… i would say so…. I jst watch Holmes on Homes last nt on TLC Discovery & these ppl were having major cracks in their ceiling & in the tile by their shower & tub… the inspector said it was super-fiscal & to spacklet. WRONG… they had to do major repairs b/c it was seeping from their drain in the shower w/o a trap.. same w/ the tub.. they had no air vent & it had soaked to the wood & concrete. Downstairs.. this was coming thru to their ceiling. So if u’r getting water in u’r floor vents, u need to ck somewhere in that attic or roof where it’s leaking… u may have to do it when it rains… but it will ruin if it hasn’t u’r sheetrock walls, & wood studs etc… NOT only cause Mold & make u sick & anyone else. It’s a dangerous .

44. QUESTION:
    Help!! A plumbers advice please?
    We have found a water leak under our house. We live in the mountains in Spain and the Spanish build houses with the pipes running through the concrete foundations/walls. We have exposed the a pipe and found alot of water which is trickly out and have exposed the pipe further along, which is damp, but cannot find the source of the leak. We cannot expose all the pipework and we do not know how to proceed. Could an experienced plumber or someone having had the same experience give me some advice please.

    • ANSWER:
      There are leak checking devices and sonograph tools that should be fairly easy to locate where the actual leak is. Then all you have to do is jack-hammer the area around the leak, repair it, and reconcrete the floor. If you own the property you might want to think of putting the pipes in the attic (pvc, cpvc, or PEX iping. This will end the worries about in the floor leaks. The only thing you would have exposed outside the house is the riser coming from the pipe before it gets to the house. Good Luck. Don’t forget that the pipes are in METRIC sizes.

45. QUESTION:
    Cost to fix a slab leak?
    Southern California, concrete slab foundation house 22 years old.
    I have a leak detector coming in on Monday to find the leak with the plumber right behind him.
    My question – since this might be the first of many leaks to follow would it be better to re-pipe the house? How costly is that?
    The leak detector will be about 0. How expensive might the plumber be to repair the leak independent of the flooring costs?
    Thank you.
    Proprenor – I will close the question out tomorrow after I get the estimate from the plumber as an FYI.
    Thank you.
    (File under irony – Last week I had scheduled an appt with a contractor to do some remodeling & now this. Now I’ll just leave the floor a mess & add it to the remodeling bill!

    • ANSWER:
      Your copper pipes are run under your slab, aren’t they..
      I’ve come across this problem many times.
      Only once did the client wish to reroute the pipes.
      You have to find out WHY the pipe broke in the first place.
      They should be buried in sand.
      Not rocky dirt.
      The vibrations of the pipes will eventually wear a hole in it if there’s sharp rocks around.
      Once, I came across a pipe that was obviously run over by a tractor!
      It must have been leaking for years..
      Another few times, there was copper making contact with galvanized metal.
      This causes electrolysis and could be your problem.
      Whatever it is, try to figure out why it broke.
      This will tell you if you should reroute the pipes.
      Also, it’s a big messy job to jack into the slab.
      Also, the price of copper is ridiculous right now.
      You might consider using Pex piping.
      I’m from the old school and I never believed in plastic pipes,
      but after an installer friend and I put it through a series of tests,
      tests that made me believe the pipes were trashed,
      I’ve become a believer.
      Really is amazing stuff..
      Oh, about the price,
      it’s hard to give you an estimate without seeing it,
      and your plumber will probably give you an hourly rate due to all the unknowns,
      I’m thinking 0 would be about the least amount he would charge to go into the slab.
      Good luck to you.

      Edit-
      That’s great!
      It’ll work out fine,
      you’ll see.
      Keep me informed…

46. QUESTION:
    does water flow between cinder blocks?
    i have a cinder block foundation and seems i have these little leaks that pop up in the back wall. if i drill a hole in one of the bottom row of cinder blocks will the water transfer from other blocks to the hole?

    • ANSWER:
      all cinder block construction will weep water through it,that is why there SHOULD be weeping tiles on the outside of the foundation. If there is not you can add a weeping tile system to the outside or even to the inside of the house’s foundation. I would suggest that you have a certified plumber look at your system to determine if you have one and it can be repaired to work correctly or if you will need to add one. Water will weep through concrete and needs to be sealed from the outside to prevent moisture problems. If you decide to finish your interior walls of your basement ( I am assuming there is a basement) then make sure you do NOT install a vapour barrier on the inside over your cinder block wall so it can breath, but do install a vapour barrier on your exterior walls that are above grade and on top of your foundation.

      cheers

47. QUESTION:
    Difference between beam and slab?
    what is the difference between beam and slab?

    • ANSWER:
      these terms refer to the foundation to which a structure is built upon.
      “Beam”, sometimes referred to as “post and beam” since beam construction relies on a floor built from beams of wood that then rest on concrete or wood supports that are secured into the land below the structure, be it dirt, rock, ocean shoreline. Used where a large concrete slab is impractical or not required by code. Utilities are run under the building but are not encapsulated and unserviceable like the same utilities are within a slab foundation.

      Slab means a structure build upon a concrete foundation to with the building is anchored to the concrete using bolts that are place into the “slab” as it is being poured. As mentioned before, all the utilities are buried within the concrete, which offers a significant amount of protection from the elements, disadvantages to slab foundations include: settling of the foundation may rupture or break any service line that crosses a fault or fracture zone, utility lines are not easily accessible to do any repair (so that a small copper supply line leak cannot be simply be dug out and fixed without major excavation, or risk of compromising the slabs rigidity by breaking through its surface.

48. QUESTION:
    how do you know if your house has mold in it?

    • ANSWER:
      What are molds?
      Molds are microorganisms. They are found everywhere. They can grow on almost anything if it is moist enough. Inside your home molds grow quickly on damp surfaces like bathroom walls and trim around windows. Molds may look like furry growth, black stains, or specks of black, white, orange, green, or brown.

      What do molds do to our body?
      When a growth of mold appears, it can send clouds of invisible bits of mold through the air. These bits of mold can cause infections, allergies, asthma, and other breathing problems. To avoid these health problems, keep your home as mold-free as possible.

      How does mold get into our homes?
      The more people who live in a home, the more likely it is that molds will grow inside it. This is because we release a lot of moisture in the air when we breathe. When we take long hot showers, cook with uncovered pots, dry clothes on an indoor clothesline, or use humidifiers, we also make more moisture for molds to grow. Storing wet firewood, watering many plants, and storing many vegetables like potatoes and squash can make a mold problem more likely, too.

      How can I tell if I have a mold problem?
      Any part of your home that gets wet is likely to be moldy. Check:

      for leaks in your roof or plumbing. If water is trapped inside your walls or under your carpet, molds may grow there, although they can’t always be seen. See if your walls or rugs have light stains or a strong musty smell.
      for mold in your basement, especially if your basement floods because of rain. Moisture can also seep through your home’s concrete foundation and make the bottom of carpets or the inside of a finished wall moldy.
      for water damage around your windows or doors to the outside of the house. In winter, moist air can change to water on these cooler surfaces and cause molds to grow there.

      for mold on walls, ceilings, floors, carpets, books, or piles of newspapers. Smell these areas too; sometimes a musty smell is your only clue that you have a mold problem.
      How do I get rid of a mold problem?
      When molds get inside materials like carpets and mattresses, they cannot be cleaned. Throw them away. But you can get rid of molds in bedding, curtains, drapes and clothes by washing or dry cleaning them. Some non-porous materials can be cleaned.

      Use protective equipment when working around mold. The following equipment can help minimize exposure to mold:

      Rubber gloves
      Eye goggles
      Outer clothing (long sleeves and long pants) that can be easily removed in the work area and laundered or discarded
      Use an N-95 respirator (these can be found at hardware stores or other large stores that sell home repair supplies)
      Clean Surfaces – scrub all moldy surfaces using a stiff brush, hot water and a soap or detergent that does NOT contain ammonia. Collect used liquid with a wet/dry vacuum, mop or sponge. Rinse area clean with clean water and dry thoroughly.

      Disinfect Surfaces – (if desired) after cleaning the affected area as described above, wipe down the wall, ceiling, or floor again using a mixture of liquid household chlorine bleach and water. If you are cleaning a small area, use 5 cups of water mixed with 1/2 cup bleach. If you are cleaning a large area, use a 5-gallon pail of water and add 1/2 gallon of bleach to it. Be sure to open windows when you use bleach, so you have fresh air to breathe and the bleach does not irritate your lungs. Always handle bleach with caution. Also be sure to follow all the directions and warnings on the bleach label. Thoroughly dry the area as quickly as possible.

      NEVER MIX BLEACH WITH AMMONIA

      How can I keep mold from growing in my home?

      Keep your home as dry as possible. Repair roof and plumbing leaks right away. Make sure that the ground around the foundation of your house slopes away from the house, so that your basement is less likely to flood.

      If your home has kitchen, bathroom, or window fans that vent (send) the moist air outside, use them when you cook or take a shower. If you do not have fans, open a window when you cook or shower, cover pots when cooking, and try to take cool, short showers. Dry clothing on a clothesline outside or use a clothes dryer that vents (sends) air outdoors.

      If your basement is damp, get a dehumidifier (note: this is the opposite of a humidifier, which adds air moisture) to remove moisture from the air. If you have an air conditioner to run in the summer, it will remove some moisture as it cools the air. When you use an air conditioner or dehumidifier, don’t keep your windows open if it is damp outside.

      Do not finish the walls of your basement with insulation and wallboard unless your basement is very dry. Also avoid putting wall-to-wall carpet on your basement floor. If your basement floor is concrete, you can paint it and use area rugs instead. Then you can take the rugs outside to clean and dry them, and the rugs aren’t as likely to get moldy.

49. QUESTION:
    Basement walls?
    We are looking at a home to purchase (southeastern Wisconsin) and the basement walls have long, horizontal cracks which are probably the result of heavy clay soils and improper drainage towards the house over the years. Years ago I had a smaller home with a similar situation and I just dug it out by hand (whew!) and then had a mason friend knock out some uneven bricks and reset new ones. It cost me a case of beer at the time. I want to do it as in expensively as possible and not pay some basement contractor 15-20 grand. Any suggestions?

    • ANSWER:
      My wife and I bought a house with the exact same problem-clay soil, poor drainage, etc. We reconfigured our gutters so they would drain further away from the house and tried hydraulic cement. Neither worked.

      Being in the construction business, I happened to stumble across a guy that did epoxy injections for concrete repair. He came to my house and drilled 1/4″ holes in the middle of the crack every foot or so. He then pumps epoxy into the crack at those various locations. The epoxy works so well that I could see it coming out of the crack on the outside of the house where the foundation wall was exposed.

      To make a long story short, it cost me ,800 for him to repair around 40 linear feet of crack. He absolutely said I would have no leaks-and I haven’t even had a drop. I would go that route again in a heartbeat.

50. QUESTION:
    Leaking pipe in concrete. In the basement.?
    Our main water line runs down to our basement. It is in the concrete foundation. It is now leaking. How do we fix it?

    • ANSWER:
      I agree with the above answers this is a job for a plumber but it may not be to the extent they are referring as you did not say this is in the base of your foundation. I am guessing it is just running through the foundation wall then up into the space between the basement ceiling and the main level’s floor.

      Now why should you hire a plumber to do this?
      Simple. This is the main line to the house once it is shut off you have no water for toilets or showers. and while its easy to pick up some bottled water to drink. asking your neighbor for a bucket of water every time you want to flush is not an option for most people.
      So you want this repaired in one day. And doing it yourself may take a day but why risk it. the cost of a single night at a hotel will surpass the expense of a plumber. Because you will be paying for the supplies either way and you may not even have the tools to do it.

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